sgfafandomcom-20200214-history
SGFA School of Excellence
| dissolved = | ground = SGFASOE Complex | capacity = 1,000 | owner = St. Gregory Football Association | chairman = | manager = Oscar Warfield (U21) | coach = | currentleague = Reserve League 1 | currentposition = | lastseason = | lastleague = | lastposition = | current = | website = | firstgame = | largestwin = | worstdefeat = | topscorer = | fansgroup = | honours = | American = }} The SGFA School of Excellence (SGFASOE) is a football training institution and academy for boys and girls aged 7 to 21, based at the St. Gregory Football Association complex in Warner Bay, St. Gregory. It is run primarily with the intent of grooming future players for the St. Gregory men's and women's national teams and is not affiliated with any one particular club. The senior (under-21) team features a semi-regularly revolving squad of unsigned players, providing them with match experience and helping them to find a professional club. The SGFASOE fields teams which participate in the SGFA Reserve League system. History In the late 1980s and early 1990s, professional football clubs across St. Gregory were starting to establish their own youth development academies. The first two were Bonneville United in 1989 and FC Chapman in 1994, with several others following suit by the turn of the century. However, despite being the capital of St. Gregory and its second-largest city, Warner Bay lacked a professional club with such a development system and many local players were either leaving for other clubs around St. Gregory or going to play for college programs in the mainland United States. In 2000, the SGFA decided to tap into the local talent in the Warner Bay-Port Charlotte area by establishing their own academy. Construction on the facility was completed in July 2002 and it officially opened on August 6 of that year. The SGFA elected to remain unaffiliated with any club, rather than attempt to attach themselves to an existing club in the area, most of whom were geared towards a particular ethnic or ancestral group (particularly A.C. Calabria and Sparta Antillen, the two most successful Warner Bay-based clubs at the time). Grounds The facility is located on 60 acres (24.3 hectares) just west of Warner Bay. Players stay on the grounds in modern, upscale apartment complexes; their accommodation, meals and spending money are subsidized by the SGFA, with the remaining costs covered by the enrollment fees. Players are offered sponsorships, similar to scholarships at mainland universities, which help cover additional costs. Affiliations The SGFASOE is affiliated only with the St. Gregory Football Association. Players who join the academy are free to sign professional contracts with any SGFA club at any time. To do this, the player must be 18 years old or receive the approval of their parent or legal guardian. Players : As of July 31, 2018 Note: Players without a flag are from St. Gregory. Players with an asterisk (*) are from outside the United States or its territories, or have represented a non-U.S. territory at international level, but hold either citizenship or permanent residency in the U.S. and thus do not count towards the league cap on foreign players. Under-21s (senior team) Under-18s Notable graduates :Further information: Category:SGFA School of Excellence alumni * Zane Brackney (Bonneville United) * Nate Briggs (FC Chapman) * Thomas Bruckerhoff ( Jahn Regensburg) * Taj Burns (New Castle) * Austin Cadengo (Bonneville United) * Connor de Laurentiis (Helena United) * Kris Farrie (New Castle) * John Fricker (Manorham) * Fabien Lamy ( AC Ajaccio) * Cody Maurer (Cape Wells Wanderers) * Matt Pickering (Eventide) * Ryan Romarian (Independence) * Riley Ruby (Rivergate) * Kurtney Saucedo (Midland International) * Caleb Spicer ( Randers FC) * Tyler Taylor ( Bristol Rovers) * Andre Thompson (Union Town) * Kayode Wilson (Acadia United) * Steven Wiltse (Midland International)